All language subtitles for Law and Order SVU S26E16_Subtitles01.ENG

.

- In the criminal justice
system,

sexually based offenses

are considered
especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate
these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as
the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

[soft dramatic music]

* *

- Hey, Mom.

I know I haven't been here
in a while, but--

but I have been thinking
about you...

[chuckles]
Especially in therapy.

In fact, that's why I'm here.

I just want you to know
that I've been working

really hard

on forgiveness.

* *

- Lord, make me an instrument
of your peace.

Where there is hatred,
let me bring love.

Where there is error,
let me bring truth.

Where there's offence,
let me bring pardon.

Thank you for meeting me.

- To be honest, I was
a little shocked you called.

- I told you over the phone,
I forgive you.

- And Chris?

- We have a lot to talk about.
- What, we do?

- I--I want you to know,
whatever happens,

we are in this together.

- So how is Ellie doing?

[upbeat music]

- We are headed
to Blackwater State Park.

That is so pretty.
Oh, Chris, my phone.

- Oh, oh, oh.
Be safe.

Have a safe--
- Thank you.

Today, Chris surprised me
by taking me to a thrift shop.

Guys.
- We did it.

- We ran into
a bit of car trouble.

* *

- Are you sure
she can hear this?

- Yes, she just
squeezed my hand.

- OK.

You see?

You and Chris really did
love each other, Ellie.

Well, your mom
has forgiven him,

and I hope you will too.
- We are on a road trip.

[laughs] Day one.
- Here we are.

- Morning.

It's quiet in here,
for a change.

- Well, we were all just
talking about Carisi's trial.

- It's time to set a date.

The prosecutor
trying to make a deal?

- Well, Carisi told me
all about it on the way in.

- That deli standoff?
- Deonte Mosley.

- I heard
he's pleading not guilty.

- Well, he's claiming duress,
not to mention self-defense.

- Who's stupid enough
to take that case?

- According to Carisi,
some young

hotshot attorney who's
looking to make his bones.

- Can you picture it,
Carisi in a witness box?

- Benson.

- I might have to show up
to see him held in contempt.

- Uh, yes.

Yeah, of course.
I'll meet you there.

- Everything all right?

- You remember Ellie Hughes?
- Yeah.

That influencer case,
the girl from California.

- Isn't she still in a coma?
- She is.

Her doctor called
just to let us know

there's been a complication.

- I know you have
a relationship with Ellie.

- Well, I actually
haven't seen her

in a few months though.
Is--is something wrong?

- This is delicate.
- OK.

- I think you should hear it
from her mother first.

- OK, thank you.

- To distract the wolf.

- Hey.

- Olivia.

So nice to see you.

- Oh.
- Oh.

Ellie, look who's here.

- Hi, Ellie.

May I?
- Yeah.

- OK.

It's Olivia.

Oh, you got your nails done?
- I did them for her.

I was gonna take
some new photos

for her Instagram later.

- Oh, you--you still keep
that account active?

- After all the press
surrounding her case,

she has more followers
than ever.

- Oh.

Well, your nails look
very, very pretty.

So, Laura, how are you doing?

- I've never been happier.
How are you?

- I'm--I'm good.
- Good.

- Good.

Yeah, so, um,
Ellie's doctor called me

and let me know that
there was a change in her--

her condition.

- We just got
the most amazing news.

- OK.

- I'm gonna be a grandmother.

[soft dramatic music]

* *

- Ellie's pregnant.

- Yeah.

Oh, she's beautiful, isn't she?

- Wow.

Um, how--how far along is she?

- What difference
does that make?

It's a miracle.

* *

- So Ellie's pregnant.

I'm assuming that the father is
her ex-boyfriend, Chris Becker.

- I can't say that for sure.

- Why not?

Well, how far along is she?

- My best estimate,
the gestational age

of the fetus is between
16 and 18 weeks.

- So you're saying
that Ellie could have

gotten pregnant after she was
admitted to the trauma unit?

- Yes, as much
as I hate to consider

that this happened
while she was in a coma,

it's a possibility.
- We need to get a DNA test.

Because if this is not
Chris Becker's baby...

We're looking at a rape.

* *

[dramatic music]

* *

.

- So Ellie Hughes is pregnant?

- And the doctors
can't determine who the dad is?

- This isn't
a typical pregnancy.

Because of the coma,
they cannot pinpoint

the date of conception.

- Obviously, Chris's DNA
is in Ellie's rape kit.

- So it's either the boyfriend
who tried to kill her,

or whoever raped her
in that trauma unit.

- That's messed up.

- OK, so what's the play here?

Get a swab from
every guy who visited

Ellie in the trauma unit?
- Yes.

And we need to get
a fetal DNA test.

The problem is that
Ellie can't consent,

and the mother won't.

- And the state can't compel
fetal DNA.

- You're not gonna like this,

but we can try
and talk Chris Becker

into petitioning the court.

- Fin, I already thought
of that.

- Downside is, if he is
the biological father,

he can sue for visitation.
- Maybe even custody.

- And if he isn't,
that means that there's

a rapist out there
that is so depraved

that he would assault
a woman in a coma.

- Listen, I know we don't want
to deal with Chris Becker

again, but he might
be our quickest option

if Laura won't budge.

- OK, but you're driving us
to Greenhaven.

And while we're there,
tell Bruno and Silva

to get a list of
every single person

who visited her
in that trauma unit.

- Copy.
- Let's go.

- Wait, you think
there's a chance

Ellie's baby isn't mine?
- It's a coin toss, but yeah.

- Of course,
it's yours, Chrissy.

Who else's would it be?

- Well, actually,
there's a possibility

that Ellie was raped
in the trauma unit.

- By who?

- We're trying
to find that out.

- What a load of crap.

Her mother, Laura, told me
she never left Ellie's side.

- Oh, so you and Laura
are friends now?

- Yeah, she called me
the second she found out

her daughter was pregnant.
- Wait, how far along is Ellie?

- Well,
according to her doctor,

the baby was conceived
between 16 and 18 weeks ago.

- OK, well, that--
that would have been

the end of our road trip, so...

- Chrissy, let me and
your lawyer do the talking.

- As far as I know,
Laura Hughes

is still Ellie's
legal guardian.

Is she not?
- You're right.

- Why the hell can't she
agree to a DNA test?

- We need you to petition
the court for fetal DNA.

- We might be willing
to discuss

some sort of arrangement.

- An arrangement?
Oh.

What did you have in mind?

- You get that judge
who framed me

to reconsider my sentencing.

- What are you hoping for?

- Early parole.

- Well, let's see if
we can talk to the judge.

- So we're gonna
let him believe

we're going along with
that early parole request?

- I don't really care what he
believes as long as it gets us,

you know,
one step closer to justice

for Ellie and this baby.
- OK.

I see why this strikes
a nerve in you.

- What does that mean?

- You want me to spell it out?

You want me to just go back
in there like the old days

and knock some sense
into Chris?

'Cause believe me, I will.

- I really don't need to look
for a new sergeant.

Hey, get the car, will you?

I'll meet you there.

Mrs. Becker.

- What do you want?

- Well, I understand that
you've been talking to Laura.

- Not that it is any
of your business,

but we're gonna co-parent
as grandmothers.

- You know, I just wanted
to make sure that

you've actually
thought it through.

- Of course, I have.
It's Chris and Ellie's child.

Laura and I have it
all figured out.

- Oh, I just wanted
to make sure

that you were aware
that Laura is unemployed

and that she had quit her job
to take care of Ellie,

and she's living off
her deceased husband's pension.

It's a fixed income.
- Yeah, so?

- Well, you work part-time
in a beauty salon, right?

- Yeah.
- OK, well,

child support
in the state of New York

is 17% of the custodial
parent's gross income.

Your son is gonna be
in prison for 25 years.

So who do you think is
gonna have to pay that 17%?

So, Mrs. Becker, we know that
this child is Ellie's baby.

What we don't know yet

is whether or not it's Chris's.

Are you really willing
to spend that kind of money

on a child that may not
even be your blood?

- So how'd that go?

- Never underestimate
the power cash has

to affect a person's morality.

- Isn't Chris the one
that has to petition

the judge for fetal DNA?

- Yeah, but I think
Virginia will convince him.

Now all I have to do
is talk to Laura.

- We talked to some of the
nurses in the trauma unit

who remembered Ellie
having half a dozen

male visitors during
her month-long stay there.

- One was her uncle
on her mother's side,

a few friends from college,
and a couple collaborators

from the social media world.

- All cooperated, gave DNA,
and the lab's got the samples.

- OK, well,
might as well keep going.

- What do you mean?

- Well, it can't hurt
to get a list

of all the male employees who
worked in the trauma unit

when Ellie was there.

I'll call the hospital,
let them know you're coming.

- So how'd it go
at Greenhaven?

- Benson's taking this
a little personal.

- Is there more to the story?

- Don't look at me.
I got a call to make.

- Let's just say
the Captain's going

that extra mile for reasons
that are none of our business.

- You know what that means,
don't you, Detective?

- Yeah, we should stop
asking questions.

- Laura.
- Oh, Captain Benson.

What are you doing here?

It's past visiting hours.

- I'm here as a courtesy.
- Oh, for what?

- Well, I wanted
to let you know

that Chris Becker
has petitioned the court

to get a fetal DNA sample.

- Virginia didn't mention that.
She would have called me.

- I think Virginia is a little
more pragmatic than you think.

- What are you talking about?

- Well, I think that before
she commits

to the responsibility
of co-parenting

this child with you,
that she wants

to make sure that it is
indeed her grandchild.

- Who else's could it be?

I was with her the whole time
she was in the trauma unit.

I never left her side.

- But there had to be times
when you, you know,

went home to shower
or sleep or, you know,

get something to eat.

- You think someone took
advantage of my daughter

because I left her alone?
- No, no.

Laura, I'm not saying that.

I'm not blaming you.

I think that somebody
may have taken advantage

of your daughter because
she was completely vulnerable.

And if that's what happened,

he may still be out there.

Laura, we need
to get a DNA test.

- My family is
already pressuring me

to terminate this pregnancy

because they think
the baby is Chris's.

What do you think they'll say

if you prove this child came
from a rape?

[tense music]

Ellie didn't just lose
what she had.

She--she lost her future, too.

And for months, I have been
praying for her to wake up

so she can have that future.

- I can't imagine what this
has been like for you.

- This baby is a miracle.

And miracles don't always
happen the way we want them to.

Sometimes, they happen
the way we need them to.

Please.

Please don't take
my miracle away.

* *

.

- In the matter of paternity
of Baby Doe,

are all parties present?

Counselors,
please identify yourselves.

- Good morning, Your Honor.

Anthony Sullivan
for the petitioner,

Christopher Becker.

- I see Mr. Becker
is joining us via video.

Can you hear us OK, Chris?

- Yes, Your Honor.

- And who is representing
the mother of Baby Doe?

- Emma Cartwright
for Ellie Hughes,

the mother of Baby Doe.

- I understand the mother
of the child in question

is unable to participate
in these proceedings.

- I am Ellie's mother,
Laura Hughes.

I will be speaking for
my daughter, Your Honor.

- Thank you.

Mr. Sullivan,
this is your petition.

Please state your case.

- Your Honor, we're here today
to petition for a DNA test

to determine whether
my client, Mr. Becker,

is the biological father
of Baby Doe.

Although incarcerated,
my client

has signed a formal petition
to establish paternity,

as is his legal right
under New York State law.

- Christopher, is it
your intent to petition

for paternity here today?

- Yes, it is, Your Honor.

- I understand
the mother of the child

is in a coma and cannot
consent to the test.

- That's true, Your Honor,
but my client seeks to know if

he has legal responsibilities
towards the child.

- Just to be clear,
Your Honor,

we are not seeking any
financial assistance

whatsoever from the petitioner.
- Mr. Sullivan?

- This is not solely
a financial issue.

We seek to serve the
best interests of Baby Doe

by ensuring access
to a complete medical history,

and we submit that
a DNA test does not

cause harm or undue burden to
either Baby Doe or Miss Hughes.

- How do you know
what will cause her harm?

My daughter has been
through enough.

She has had three surgeries,
a craniectomy,

not to mention all the
injections she's had already.

The last thing that she needs
is another needle in her arm.

- Laura, Laura, it's OK.
She's got it.

- I understand your concern,
Mrs. Hughes,

but you need to let
your lawyer speak for you.

- It's OK.
- Miss Cartwright.

- We oppose the petitioner's
request, Your Honor.

- On what basis?

- The petitioner
is currently serving

a 25-year sentence
for the attempted murder

of Ellie Hughes.

- Mr. Sullivan?

- We only seek
to establish paternity,

and we're more
than happy to accept

any safeguards to protect her.

- In cases like this,
the child's best interests

take precedence.

This court sees
determining paternity

as a necessary first step
to determine those interests.

Accordingly,
I grant the petition.

We're adjourned.

[tense music]

* *

- Yes, of course,
I remember Ellie Hughes.

How's she doing?

- Ah, she's as well
as can be expected.

She's alive,
but she's still comatose.

- And her mother just found out
Ellie's pregnant.

- Pregnant?
How far along is she?

- We're looking at a window.

She's somewhere between
16 and 18 weeks.

- She had a boyfriend,
didn't she?

- Yeah.
- It's probably his.

- We'll know more
after a fetal DNA test.

- But with this kind of
timeline, Mrs. Turner,

there's a possibility that
the pregnancy may be due

to someone other
than her boyfriend.

- Are you suggesting it was
someone who worked here?

- That's exactly
what we're suggesting.

- We're gonna need a list
of every male employee

who worked here during
the month that Ellie

was in your trauma unit.

[somber music]

* *

- [sighs]

- So what did the trauma unit
administrator say?

- She wasn't
the most forthcoming,

but at least
she gave us a list.

- How many names
are we looking at?

- Between doctors, orderlies,
techs, and nurses,

somewhere between 115 men.

- None of whom have a record
of sexual assault.

- Well, someone is
about to get one.

So I just came back
from the lab,

and the DNA results are in.

- Let me guess--

not a paternal match to Chris.

- So at least we know.

- So Ellie's baby is
the product of a rape.

* *

.

- Laura.

- I asked you
to leave us alone.

- Yes,
and I'm sorry to intrude.

I just--I wanted to talk
to you about the DNA results.

- Let's go in the hall.

I don't want Ellie
to hear this.

- OK.

So I wanted to let you know

that the DNA is not
a paternal match to Chris.

- OK.

- Laura, do you understand
what that means?

- Yeah, I think so.

- Well, just to be clear...

[phone buzzing]

It means that Ellie was raped

in the trauma ward in the weeks

after she was admitted
for her brain injury.

- So did someone tell Chris?
- Chris?

- He just won't stop
calling me,

and I feel like
I should call him back.

- Don't worry about Chris, OK?

I--my detectives
will notify him,

and they'll tell him
to stop calling you.

I think the only thing
that we should be concerned

about right now is Ellie.

- I understand
that you have a job to do,

and I have to do mine, to take
care of Ellie and her baby.

- My job is taking care
of victims.

And your daughter is a victim,

and after everything
you've been through,

so are you.

So I'm gonna look
after both of you,

if that's all right.
OK?

OK.

- Next.

[dramatic music]

* *

- Open.

- Next.

- Dr. Haimes.
Paging Dr. Haimes.

- Open.

- Excuse me.

Who is that guy?

- Chief of Neurosurgery.

- Hey, excuse me! Doctor.

Where are you going?

- I don't have time for this.
- Dr. Haimes.

- You hear that?
- Yeah.

- Well, unless you know how
to remove a brain stem tumor,

get the hell out of my way.

- I'm sorry, but we
still need to swab you.

- Then I suggest you come
by my office

in about eight to ten hours.

- What do you mean
I'm not the father?

- You sound like
you're angry about it.

- Well, yeah, I'm angry.

I'm angry at myself.

That means Ellie was raped
while I was two floors down.

I should have been there
to protect her.

- Do you hear how that sounds?

- Considering
you're the one who put her

there in the first place.

- Are you gonna go and find
the guy who did this?

- Let us worry about that.

- Does he get to be
a part of Ellie's life?

- You think you should be?

- Look, I photographed Ellie
at all

of the happiest moments
of her life.

Look, I don't care
if that child is mine or not.

I still want to be
a part of its life.

- Well,
that's not gonna happen.

- Well, my mom told me
that Laura forgave me.

- Maybe she has,
but we haven't.

- And since we're here,
let me give you this warning.

Stop calling Laura, or
you'll see how uncomfortable

I can make it for you here.

- Jesus.

What the hell is wrong
with that guy?

- He's manipulative
and delusional.

- Well, it's a good thing
Benson didn't come with us.

- Yeah, she'd have jumped
over that table

and smacked the blonde
out of his hair.

- About that, how's she doing?

- What do you mean?

- Come on, Fin,
don't pull that.

You're forgetting I'm ex-IAB.
I investigated her.

I know the full story.
- What story is that?

- The reason why Benson
joined SVU in the first place

is because
her mother was raped,

and Benson is
the child of that rape.

- Look, Benson's still
working through a few things

like the rest of us,

but those things are what
makes her built for this job.

- You're a good friend.

- Why, because I try to keep
quiet about her personal life?

I'd do the same thing
for you, Curry.

- I appreciate that,
but I meant for preventing her

from having to come back here.

- Yeah, well,
let's just hope none of us

have to come back here
and see Chris Becker

or that mother of his
ever again.

- 115 male employees
in the trauma unit,

and not one of them
is a paternity match

to Ellie's baby?
- No.

- We even double-checked
to make sure

we didn't miss anyone
who was fired

or quit within the time frame.

- Time to check the visitor
logs from the entire floor?

- I don't think that this
is a random visitor.

Ellie's mother was there
90% of the time.

- OK, so it had
to be someone who

was around enough to notice
when Laura was out of the room.

- There is someone we missed,
and he probably knows

that floor better than anyone.
- Who?

- Ellie's crusty neurosurgeon.

- Yeah, he managed to avoid
giving us a sample.

- Hold on.

The chief of neurosurgery,

Isaac Haimes?

Yes, I met this guy.

- Well, anything's possible.

- Yeah, I talked to him
when Ellie was

first admitted
to the trauma unit.

- When we were trying
to swab him,

and he said he was headed
to surgery

and that we should come back
in 8 to 12 hours.

- Oh, did he?

Well, he's not the only
busy one in New York City.

- Well, do you want us
to go back to the hospital

and follow up?
- No.

I will do that myself.

- There, you happy now?

- When it comes back
without a match, I will be.

Look, you didn't have
to give my detectives

such a rough time.
- I'm sorry.

A traumatic brain injury

took precedence
over your caseload.

- I understand that you have
a demanding schedule,

but, you know,
on my way over here,

I was looking at
your visitation records

during the time Ellie was here.
- And?

- And--and you found the time
to visit Ellie a lot.

- She was my patient.
Of course, I visited her.

- But over 12 times?

And this was after you made
the recommendation

to take Ellie off life support?

What was that about?

- Captain,
I'm not guilty of rape.

You'll see that
when you get the results

of that swab you just took.

- So why did you visit her?

- To be honest,

you got in my head.

I visited Ellie to see
if she was capable

of the response
we talked about,

communicating by
squeezing someone's hand.

- And?

- She never squeezed my hand.

But at least
it got me thinking.

- About what?

- Bigger things.

The human soul, I suppose.

I even asked the youth pastor
about Ellie.

He always seemed to be
spending time with Laura.

- Doing what exactly?

- Trying to convert her.
Seems like it worked.

- Paging Dr. Haimes.

- The two of them were always
praying together over Ellie.

A lot of good that did.

[tense music]

.

- The youth pastor?

You're talking about
Caleb Hartwell.

- Mm-hmm.
What can you tell me about him?

- He helped me find
my faith again.

Yeah, I grew up
in a religious home

when I was a kid.
- Right.

- At some point in my teens,
I had a falling out with God.

- I understand.

- And Caleb helped me
find my way back.

- Yeah.

So I wanted to ask you
a delicate question.

Was--was Caleb ever alone
in the room with Ellie?

- Why?

- Well, because--
well, we DNA-tested

all the male employees
that worked in the trauma unit

during the time that Ellie
was there

and all of her visitors,

and there were
no paternal matches.

- You don't think
it was my pastor?

- Well, we don't think that
it was a random visitor

or somebody off the street.

I mean, you were there
so much that

it had to be somebody who--

who knew your patterns and
when you were out of the room.

- Caleb is a good man.

- Yes, I know.
I know that you think that.

But are you sure
that he was never alone

in the room with Ellie?

- There might've been one time.

- Uh-huh.

- The day of the hero's walk.

A couple that Caleb
was counseling,

Brandon and Christina Hanson,
their daughter Michelle

was in a car crash--
a drunk driver.

And she had brain
swelling, too,

but she wasn't
as lucky as Ellie.

- So they took her
off life support

and donated her organs.

- You can imagine
what a difficult day

that was for them.

- And you spent time with them?

- Two hours in the chapel.

- And where was Caleb?

- He was waiting with
Michelle's body in her room.

- Mm-hmm,
and just out of curiosity,

where was Ellie's room
in relation to--

to Michelle's?

- Down the hall.

- You pull
the hospital footage

from the hallway
in the trauma ward?

- I scanned it through
the day of the hero's walk.

- And?
- We got him.

- All right.

- There's Pastor Caleb
at 1:30 p.m. on November 21st

entering Ellie's room.

- That fits the timeline
that Laura said

she was in the chapel.
- Yes.

He then goes
to Ellie's bedside.

Then, a few minutes later,
he closes the shade.

- No video cameras in the room.

He leaves 15 minutes later.
- All right.

So what do we know
about Caleb Hartwell?

- According to his website,
he lives a life

of service and compassion.

- "A devoted youth pastor
who began volunteering

"at the trauma ward
where he saw the unique

struggles faced by teens
and families in crisis."

- OK, are there any complaints

from the hospital
administration?

- Hospital had nothing but
good things to say about him.

- But I'm guessing
he didn't need privacy

in Ellie's room just to pray.

- So find out if
he'll give a DNA sample.

[knocking]

- Can I help you?
- Caleb Hartwell?

- Yeah, that's me.
- I'm Detective Bruno.

This is Detective Silva.
We're with the NYPD.

- NYPD?
What do you need from me?

- It's about Ellie Hughes.

- Ellie Hughes.

- Honey, everything all right?

- Yeah, fine.

- Do you mind if we come in?

- No.
Of course, not.

- What's going on?
- Everything's fine.

Just go take care
of Zachary's bottle.

- Cute kid.

- [chuckles]
- How old is he?

- Oh, just turned four months.

So what about Ellie?

- So you do know her?

- Yeah, I was working
in the trauma unit

the night she came in.

It's horrible
what happened to her.

- When's the last time
you talked to Laura?

- We haven't really
been in touch

since they moved Ellie
to a long-term care facility.

- You did have contact
with them

when they were
in the trauma unit?

- Yes, I encouraged Laura
to return to her faith.

We prayed together.

- Were you ever alone
with Ellie?

- No.
[baby crying]

Uh, I had no reason to be.

I was fully occupied
with the family

I was originally there
to counsel, the Hansons.

And their daughter was
in a drunk driving accident.

- Oh, yeah, yeah.

Laura mentioned that.

- What's this all about?

- Can we show you something?

- OK.
- OK.

That's you, isn't it?

- I think so.
- Going into Ellie's room.

- I remember now.

On the day of Michelle Hanson's
hero's walk,

it was very emotional.

I was called to Ellie's room
in a quiet moment after.

- Called by who?

- [laughs]

The Lord.

- What happened in that room?

- We prayed together.

- That's it?

- Where exactly is this going?

- We're investigating
something that may have

happened to Ellie.

- Well, I wish
I could help, but I'm--

- Actually, you can.

Would you mind giving us
a DNA sample?

- To be honest,
it's not really a good time,

and I have to help my wife,

and I have a sermon
in a few hours

that I really
have to prepare for

But why don't you come back?

- Yeah, we'll do that.

- Great.

[baby crying]

- So, four months ago,
the pastor's wife

is nine months pregnant.

- And he's called by God
to spend a quiet moment

in Ellie's room.

- He's never gonna
volunteer a sample.

So what's the move here?
We go through his trash?

- That, or find probable cause
to arrest

and get a judge to sign off
on a DNA swab.

- I trusted Caleb.

He betrayed me.

- His story, he was in
your daughter's room praying.

- I left her alone

so I could help people

who had just lost their child,

and he used that opportunity
to rape my daughter.

- Laura, we are so sorry.

But we're gonna get him.

- How?

- So we need a reason
to arrest him,

to get his DNA.

- Did you give him permission
to go into Ellie's bedroom?

- No.
Absolutely not.

- That's enough
for criminal trespass.

- OK.

- Today, I want to talk
about two things

that can transform
our relationships

with others and God.

I want to talk about
forgiveness and second chances.

- That sermon
he had to work on.

- So we're gonna arrest him

in front of
his whole congregation?

- You heard the Captain.

- In Matthew 18:21-22,
Peter asks Jesus,

"Lord, how many times
shall I forgive my brother

"or sister who sins against me?

Up to seven times?"

And Jesus responds,
"I tell you,

not seven times, but 77 times."

Now, Jesus wasn't giving us
a math lesson.

No, he was saying
forgiveness is not meant

to be keeping score.

It's about keeping
our hearts open.

* *

If you would excuse me
for just a moment.

* *

- Going somewhere?

- Pastor Hartwell.
- Who are you?

- Ellie Hughes'
guardian angels.

You're under arrest.

.

- We got a DNA sample
from the pastor?

- At the lab as we speak.
- OK.

He's willing to talk?
- Lawyered up.

Church's head counsel,

but they're open
to answering questions.

- Does anybody even doubt
that his DNA

is a match for that baby?

- No, and the video footage
puts him in Ellie's room

in the time frame.

- So do we even need
to talk to him?

- We do.

Pastor Hartwell,
I'm Captain Benson.

This is Detective Bruno.

- I believe we met.

- We're here willingly.
What do you want to know?

- I would like to know
what this is about.

- I already told you,
detectives, we were praying.

- Right,
and they don't believe you

any more than I do, so I think
the real question here is,

will you tell us what
really happened in that room?

- That is between me,
Ellie, and God.

- So you're saying
God called you

to rape a comatose woman?

- Your words, not mine.

But as to why I was called
to Ellie's bedside,

God's will is unknowable.

- Well, I'll tell you
what I know.

I know that God
didn't want you to rape

a completely helpless woman.

- Ellie's not helpless.

She's very much alive.

Her spirit, her soul
never left her body.

- Are you saying
she's in there?

- Yes, that's exactly
what I'm saying.

- Have a seat, Mr. Hartwell.

So even if that were true...

She couldn't give you consent.

- Laura shared with me
that you acknowledge

that the core of who Ellie is,

the thing that makes her her,

might still be there.

- So you're using
the tiny shred of hope

that Ellie might
one day wake up

as an excuse for the fact

that you sexually
assaulted her?

- Did you hold Ellie's hand?
- Yes.

- Did you ask her
to squeeze it?

- I did.

- And do you think
she was present?

- I have no idea.

But we're not talking about me.

We're talking
about Ellie, right?

- Do you believe in God,
Captain?

What would you say
if I told you

this is all His will?

- I would tell you
that you are deeply confused

about who God is.

- God allows bad things
to happen

to good people every day.

Look at what Chris did to her.

- So you made it worse.

- How is bringing a life
into the world worse

than trying to remove one?

I held Ellie's hand.

I--I asked her
if she wanted a baby.

I asked her to
squeeze once for yes,

and she did.

- [laughs]

That is some story.

- My client is telling you
his truth,

which is based on faith.

There's no way
to disprove that in court.

- I'll tell you
who's not gonna have

a hard time disproving it.

It's the 12 people on the jury.

- Laura wanted a miracle.

Ellie needed a miracle.

So I gave them both one.

- What happened is
you raped Ellie,

and you conned her mother
with your religion

so you could get
close enough to do it.

- I am not a con man.
I'm a man of God.

- Oh, a man of God.

And to answer your question,

I do believe in God,

and I hope that you do
half as much as you pretend to,

because then you would know
that there's a place for people

like you that's way worse
than any prison

that we could put you into,

but until that happens,

I'm gonna make sure
that you spend

the rest of your days

in a 6 by 8 cell.

I promise.

* *

- Lab confirms Hartwell's DNA
is a paternal match

for Ellie's baby.

- Carisi is aware?

- He's arraigning
Hartwell today.

- And the grand jury?

- Carisi doesn't think
there'll be any problem

getting an indictment.
- OK.

I will let Laura know.

- So you gonna tell her that
religious BS excuse of a story?

- This is her grandchild.

Whatever--
whatever she decides,

it's up to her.
- What about Ellie?

- I was planning on
talking to her too.

- You really think
she's somewhere in there?

Like, trapped inside?

- I don't know, Fin.

But if she is,

she deserves to know the truth.

[somber music]

* *

Hey, Ellie.

So I don't know
if you can hear me or not,

but if you can, I just
wanted to let you know that--

that I understand
the burden that your child

will carry when--

when they enter this world.

And I understand it because--

because I carry it too.

But the one thing
that I do know

for certain...

is that your mother
loves you...

Unconditionally...

truly.

* *

.

[dramatic music]

* *

[wolf howls]